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Nazir 9b

נזיר ט׳ ע״ב

Learn Nazir 9b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The two versions of רבי נתן's report on 'הריני נזיר מן הגרוגרות', and the debate between חזקיה and רבי יוחנן over who taught that a barley מנחה pledge requires wheat.

Overview

The גמרא first says our משנה does not match a ברייתא of רבי נתן, who reports the dispute of בית שמאי and בית הלל differently, and it gives two versions of his report. Next it brings a משנה from מנחות: someone who pledges a מנחה 'from barley' must bring one from wheat, while רבי שמעון exempts him. חזקיה says this follows בית שמאי, who hold a person to the first part of his words, as in the dried figs case. רבי יוחנן says instead that everyone agrees when the person explains that barley was a mistake. חזקיה adds that a pledge 'from lentils' creates nothing. The גמרא challenges him from בית שמאי, and answers that חזקיה retracted. רבא explains that the משנה's choice of barley over lentils made him understand בית שמאי like רבי יהודה. רבי יוחנן, speaking within חזקיה's approach, argues that the retraction was not needed, because barley may be the bigger חידוש. This argument continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַתְנִיתִין דְּלָא כִּי הַאי תַּנָּא,

Our mishna is not in accordance with this tanna,

דְּתַנְיָא רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר,

as it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Natan says,

בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: נָדוּר וְנָזִיר,

Beit Shammai say: he is bound by a vow, and he is a nazirite;

וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: נָדוּר וְאֵין נָזִיר.

and Beit Hillel say: he is bound by a vow, but he is not a nazirite.

The steps (19)

  1. StatementOur משנה does not follow רבי נתן's report
  2. StatementWhich opinions each side follows in the first version
  3. StatementA second version of רבי נתן's report
  4. StatementWhich opinions each side follows in the second version
  5. StatementThe משנה in מנחות about pledging a מנחה the wrong way
  6. QuestionWho taught that barley becomes wheat?
  7. Responseחזקיה: it is בית שמאי, as in the dried figs case
  8. Responseרבי יוחנן: Everyone agrees when he says he made a mistake
  9. Statementחזקיה: Barley requires a wheat מנחה, but lentils mean nothing
  10. ChallengeLentils are like dried figs, so בית שמאי should make him bring a מנחה
  11. Resolutionחזקיה took back his first explanation
  12. QuestionWhy did חזקיה change his mind?
  13. Responseרבא: The משנה's choice of barley bothered him
  14. Conclusionחזקיה's new view: בית שמאי follow רבי יהודה
  15. Statementרבי יוחנן: Even 'from lentils' he must bring a מנחה
  16. ChallengeDoesn't רבי יוחנן explain the משנה as a mistaken vower?
  17. ResolutionHe said it only according to חזקיה
  18. Questionרבי יוחנן asks חזקיה why he retracted
  19. RejectionMaybe the משנה means 'not only lentils, but even barley'